Poll: Democrats want to see Elizabeth Warren as Joe Biden's vice president pick

Jeanine Santucci / USA TODAY

Monday

May 4, 2020 at 10:07 AM

WASHINGTON – Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tops the list of potential running mates Democrats hope to see considered by former Vice President Joe Biden, according to a new poll.

The presumptive Democratic nominee has said he'll name a woman to join him as vice president on the ticket, and 71% of registered Democrats and Democratic leaners think he should consider Warren as his pick, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday.

Fifty-nine percent said he should consider Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., 50% said the same for former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and 49% for Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

Asked who Biden should pick for the ticket if he had to choose today, Warren led the group with 36%, followed by Harris at 19%, Abrams at 14% and Klobuchar at 13%. Others on the list such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer struggled with name recognition among about half or more voters.

Warren, Harris and Klobuchar are all former 2020 candidates, while Abrams' unsuccessful 2018 run for governor put her on the map and prompted national discussion over issues of voter suppression.

White Democrats and liberals favored Warren in the poll by large margins. Black Democrats were more split between the top three running mates. Warren also topped the list for moderate Democrats, and was followed by Klobuchar and Harris for that group.

Independents surveyed also put Warren at the top of their list, with 41%, followed by Klobuchar at 38%, Harris at 31% and Abrams at 23%. Republicans said Biden should put Klobuchar on the ticket, however.

First lady Michelle Obama was not among the list of other women named for the VP slot in the survey, but asked separately, 64% of Democrats said Biden should pick her if she wanted to run.

Democrats surveyed most valued in a running mate someone who would be prepared to take over the role of president if needed, with 82% calling this a high priority. They also prefer a vice presidential candidate who will motivate traditional Democrats to turn out to vote, with 71% calling it a high priority, over one who will appeal to swing or Trump voters, 57%.

And as the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten American lives and the economy, Democrats see crisis management experience as very important in a potential vice president.

Of all registered voters, including those who lean Democratic and Republican, 27% said the person Biden picks as vice president isn't important in the election, while an equal number said his choice is very important and 29% said it is somewhat important.

Biden was also chosen over President Donald Trump by likely voters, 49%-43%.

The CBS News/YouGov poll surveyed 2,200 U.S. residents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. For the 808 Democrats and Democrat leaners surveyed, the margin of error is plus or minus 4 points.